5 Steps to Create Lasting Change with ADHD
- Cheryl Gigler
- May 7
- 3 min read
Recently, several of my clients shared their personal success stories.
As I listened, it became clear to me that when people received both good treatment and management for ADHD, they were able to move ahead. They were no longer buried under the symptoms of ADHD. Instead of “living their ADHD,” they were living their lives. This manifested as relationships that had improved or changed, going back to school, job changes, less stress and in general being advocates for themselves.
Getting on top of ADHD removed the obstacles that got in the way of reaching goals. They stepped forward with confidence and wanted much more from life.
How do we change? What does it look like?
People often mistake major changes like quitting smoking as a one time event. The truth is that change is a gradual process that involves several stages over time. Based on over two decades of research, (Prochaska and Velicer, 1997) the transtheoretical model found that individuals created change by moving through a series of stages. The right support in each stage was vital to the change process.
What are the five stages of change?
Precontemplation: In this stage we can’t see what the problem is. Everything seems hopeless, and we might doubt our ability to change.
Contemplation: In the contemplation stage, we know that we are stuck, but we’re not sure we want to do what is necessary to change. We see the pros but also see the cons. Knowing the destination, we don’t have the readiness to go there.
Preparation: In the preparation phase, we have a plan in place and are making the final adjustments necessary to change behaviors, but we’re not completely on board with change.
Action: Once we are in action, we are working our plan with structures in place that allow us to succeed and to move towards our goals.
Maintenance: In this final stage, we check that we’re where we need to be and learn how to press the “reset button.”
Why is change so hard when you have ADHD?
A person might be staggering under the symptoms of untreated ADHD as well as executive skill challenges such as getting started, planning, organizing or managing time. If you were recently diagnosed, you may not even know the role ADHD has played in your life.
You might find yourself struggling to do things others do so naturally. You may have tried to move ahead, but aren’t sure what kind of help you actually need. Even if you do know what help you need, it might seem overwhelming to sort through providers to see who might be a good fit. It takes courage to step out and make that call. The road to lasting change might feel rocky!
An ADHD coach can help you in sorting out the pieces of the puzzle, walking alongside of you as you create the life you really want.
Are you ready to start moving ahead? In the words of Martin Luther King, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase in order to take the first step!”
Looking for support in changing your life? Schedule a free consultation with an ADHD coach who knows what it's like to live with ADHD!
Additional Quotes about Change
"Change is painful, but nothing as painful as staying stuck where you don’t belong."
- Manus Hale
"True life is lived when tiny changes occur."
- Leo Tolstoy
"I have accepted fear as part of life-specifically the fear of change- I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says, 'turn back.'"
-Erica Jong
"All changes are preceded by chaos."
- Deepak Chopra
"The measure of intelligence is the ability to change."
- Albert Einstein
"Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps 100 times without as much as a crack showing on it, yet at the 101 blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that has gone before."
- Jacob Riis
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